Pearl Josephine Nazare

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters acknowledged growing frustration over the delayed verdict on Manchester City’s 115 alleged financial-regulation breaches, but said confidentiality rules prevent him from providing a timetable and that the process must continue. City, charged in February 2023, deny wrongdoing. The case coincides with a managerial transition from Pep Guardiola to Enzo Maresca. Masters also criticized FIFA’s handling of a proposed World Cup stake sale, supported the Football Association’s stance toward Gianni Infantino, and called for reform of FIFA and the presidency ahead of next year’s re-election process.

Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Olympic Committee’s provisional decision to reinstate the Russian Olympic Committee. Ukraine argues that the decision was premature because the violations that led to Russia’s suspension—including recognition of Olympic councils in occupied Ukrainian territories—have not been resolved. It cites a 2024 CAS ruling upholding the suspension and warns that reinstatement would violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the Olympic Charter, setting a dangerous precedent for international sport.

Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Olympic Committee’s provisional reinstatement of the Russian Olympic Committee. Ukraine argues that the IOC acted prematurely because the violations behind Russia’s 2023 suspension—including recognition of Olympic bodies in occupied Ukrainian territories—have not been resolved. The appeal cites a 2024 CAS ruling that upheld the suspension, while Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the IOC decision as a step toward Russia’s full return to international sport.

Egypt recovered from Finn Surman’s early header to defeat New Zealand 3–1 at BC Place, earning the country’s first World Cup victory. Mostafa Zizo equalised in the 58th minute before Mohamed Salah put Egypt ahead, and Trezeguet added a third from Salah’s corner. The result moved Egypt top of Group G with four points, while New Zealand remained bottom with one point.

Egypt defeated New Zealand 3-1 to record its first-ever World Cup victory and move top of Group G with four points from two matches. Finn Surman gave New Zealand an early lead, but Mostafa Zizo equalised in the 58th minute before Mohamed Salah scored nine minutes later. Trezeguet completed the comeback with a header from Salah’s corner, strengthening Egypt’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

Neymar has been selected for Brazil’s upcoming World Cup squad despite recovering from a minor calf injury. The 34-year-old Santos forward is expected to be fit for the team’s training camp, although his fitness and form remain under scrutiny following an injury-plagued spell at Al-Hilal. Brazil will open its campaign against Morocco in New Jersey on 13 June before facing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Neymar has been named in Brazil’s World Cup squad despite a minor calf injury involving oedema. Santos medical chief Rodrigo Zogaib expects him to recover in time to join Brazil’s training camp next week. The 34-year-old forward, Brazil’s record international goalscorer, is returning after an extended injury absence and has not played for the national team since 2023. His selection by coach Carlo Ancelotti has drawn scrutiny because of his injury history and inconsistent form. Brazil begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco in New Jersey on 13 June, followed by matches against Haiti and Scotland.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has become an official supporter of the 2026 World Cup in North America, expanding its existing partnership with FIFA ahead of Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 tournament. The agreement covers grassroots, youth and women’s football, education, infrastructure and technical development, but no financial details were disclosed. The deal comes shortly after PIF said it would reduce funding for LIV Golf after the 2026 season, despite reaffirming that international sports investment remains a priority. The fund’s growing role in global sport has attracted accusations of sportswashing from human rights organizations.

Manchester City will be without midfielder Rodri for Wednesday’s Premier League match against Burnley after he sustained a groin injury in the victory over Arsenal. Defender Ruben Dias also remains unavailable following an injury dating back to Manchester City’s Champions League defeat by Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola said the absences come at a crucial stage of the title race, with City three points behind leaders Arsenal and holding a game in hand.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Rodri is unlikely to play against Burnley because of a groin-related injury, while Ruben Dias remains unavailable. The setbacks come as City pursue Premier League leaders Arsenal, who hold a three-point advantage but have played one more match and recently suffered a run of domestic defeats. Guardiola stressed the physical and mental demands of the title race, warning that both teams can ill afford to drop points with six matches remaining for City.

Everton have unveiled a permanent Hillsborough memorial at Hill Dickinson Stadium on the disaster’s 37th anniversary. The tribute depicts young Everton and Liverpool mascots holding hands, symbolising unity between the clubs, while Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush laid floral tributes for the 97 victims. The memorial was unveiled ahead of the first Merseyside derby at Everton’s new stadium, with Liverpool fifth in the Premier League and Everton eighth, five points behind.

World Aquatics will allow eligible Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in its events with their national uniforms, flags and anthems, while restoring the two countries' full membership rights. Athletes must pass background checks and at least four consecutive anti-doping controls after more than 700 screenings. The restrictions were introduced following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, though some athletes later competed as neutrals at the Paris Olympics and youth restrictions were lifted in December. Russian sports officials welcomed the decision and said it could enable Russia to pursue hosting future aquatics championships.

Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham will avoid relegation because of the quality of its players and the support of its fans, despite the club sitting one point above the Premier League relegation zone after 31 matches without a league win since December. Tottenham has appointed former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi after dismissing Thomas Frank and losing interim boss Igor Tudor. Pochettino, who is focused on leading the United States at the upcoming World Cup, declined to discuss his own future while leaving open the possibility of returning to Tottenham.

The International Paralympic Committee is investigating a protest by German cross-country skiers Linn Kazmaier and Florian Baumann, who turned their backs and kept their hats on during the medal ceremony after Russia’s Anastasiia Bagiian and guide Sergei Siniakin won gold. The Germans said they opposed Russia competing under its own flag, anthem and full band while Ukrainian athletes were also present, while emphasizing that their objection was directed at the system and IPC decision rather than the individual Russian competitors. Russia and Belarus were readmitted in September after bans linked to the invasion of Ukraine and, previously, Russia’s doping scandal.

Italy's men's speed-skating team pursuit trio of Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini and Michele Malfatti defeated the United States by 4.51 seconds to win Olympic gold in 3:39.20. Giovannini, who had not previously competed at the Games, celebrated with Steph Curry's signature “night-night” gesture, inspired by Curry's performance at the Paris 2024 basketball final. He said a team psychologist helped him manage the pressure, while U.S. skater Emery Lehman reacted lightheartedly to the celebration.

Olympic speedskating champion Jutta Leerdam is using her more than six million Instagram followers to encourage young girls and women to take up the sport. After winning gold in the 1,000 metres and silver in the 500m at the Milano Cortina Games, Leerdam said social media complements rather than distracts from her training by allowing her to focus on something beyond skating. Fellow Dutch skater Femke Kok praised Leerdam’s ability to promote the sport, while noting that she has a much smaller following.

Jordan Stolz has emerged as a leading medal contender for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics after topping the World Cup points rankings in the men's 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m and winning his first World Cup mass-start gold. Dutch and Polish sprinters Jenning de Boo and Damian Zurek are among his principal challengers, while Timothy Loubineaud and Metodej Jilek have made major breakthroughs in the longer distances. The US dominated the men's team pursuit, and Canada led the women's event, with Japan viewed as its closest challenger. The final World Cup stop takes place in Inzell from 23 to 25 January before the Olympics begin in February.

Nine Russian bobsled and skeleton athletes have been granted Individual Neutral Athlete status by the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation, allowing them to compete in qualifying events ahead of the Winter Olympics. The decision follows a partial lifting of the federation’s ban and comes amid broader moves by international winter-sports bodies and the International Olympic Committee to permit some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete neutrally. Russia remains excluded from many international competitions because of its invasion of Ukraine, although restrictions have eased in some sports.

Spain defeated Germany 2-1 in Bologna to reach their first Davis Cup final since 2019, despite missing Carlos Alcaraz because of a hamstring injury. Pablo Carreno Busta beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening singles match, Alexander Zverev levelled the tie by defeating Jaume Munar, and Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez secured victory over Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the deciding doubles match. Spain will face defending champions Italy in the final.

Amanda Anisimova defeated defending champion Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in just 58 minutes to reach the China Open final. The third-seeded American raced to 5-0 leads in both sets and now holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Gauff. The result marks Anisimova’s second WTA 1000 final of the year, following runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open. She will face either Jessica Pegula or Linda Noskova in the final.

Russia and Belarus regained full membership rights in the International Paralympic Committee after member organizations voted to end their partial suspensions. Russia’s full suspension was rejected 111–55, followed by rejection of a partial suspension 91–77; Belarus’s full suspension was rejected 119–48 and its partial suspension 103–63. The countries had previously been barred from Paralympic competition after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine but competed as neutral athletes at the Paris Paralympics. The International Olympic Committee continues to require Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb said VAR officials wrongly disallowed Josh King’s goal during Fulham’s 2–0 defeat by Chelsea. The decision followed contact between Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz and Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, but Webb said officials focused too narrowly on the contact and failed to apply the Premier League’s high threshold for VAR intervention. VAR official Michael Salisbury was subsequently stood down from Liverpool’s match against Arsenal, while Fulham manager Marco Silva condemned the ruling.

Bayer Leverkusen dismissed Erik ten Hag after just two Bundesliga matches, following an opening defeat and a draw. Ten Hag said the decision came as a surprise and accused the club hierarchy of failing to give him the time and trust needed to build a new team after replacing Xabi Alonso.

Erik ten Hag said Bayer Leverkusen’s decision to place him on leave and end his tenure after only two Bundesliga matches was a complete surprise and reflected a lack of trust from the club’s management. Leverkusen lost to Hoffenheim and drew with Werder Bremen after Ten Hag replaced Xabi Alonso in May. Ten Hag argued that rebuilding a team after the departures of key players including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Granit Xhaka and Amine Adli required more time. Alonso had previously led Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title, the German Cup and the Europa League final.

Jobe Bellingham will miss Borussia Dortmund’s Club World Cup quarter-final against Real Madrid after receiving his second tournament yellow card in the 2-1 win over Monterrey. Dortmund manager Niko Kovac substituted the 19-year-old to avoid a possible second booking and said the brothers will have other opportunities to play against each other, potentially in the Champions League. Jude Bellingham previously played for Dortmund before joining Real Madrid.

Poland manager Michal Probierz resigned four days after captain Robert Lewandowski said he would no longer play for the national team under his leadership. Lewandowski said his trust had been betrayed after Probierz informed him in a brief call that he would lose the captaincy to Piotr Zielinski, with the change soon published by the Polish Football Association. Probierz, who had led Poland since 2023 and guided the team to Euro 2024, said resigning was the best decision for the national team.

Mauricio Pochettino has played down speculation that he could return as Tottenham Hotspur manager after the club dismissed Ange Postecoglou. Pochettino, who previously led Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, said a return is “not realistic” while he remains focused on coaching the United States through the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Frank, Oliver Glasner and Marco Silva are also reportedly linked with the vacancy.

Mauricio Pochettino dismissed speculation that he could return to Tottenham after Ange Postecoglou was sacked, calling the prospect unrealistic while he is focused on managing the United States through the 2026 World Cup. Tottenham ended a troubled domestic season just above relegation despite winning the Europa League, and are considering candidates including Thomas Frank, Oliver Glasner and Marco Silva for their fifth permanent manager in six years.

Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh set a world record in the women’s 400-metre freestyle at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, finishing in 3:54.18 and surpassing Ariarne Titmus’s previous mark of 3:55.38. McIntosh credited strong recent training and an unusually powerful final 100 metres for the performance. The 18-year-old was already a three-time Olympic champion from Paris 2024, where she won gold in three events and silver in the 400-metre freestyle.

Carlo Ancelotti says he currently has no desire to coach another club after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season to take charge of Brazil. He leaves Madrid after a highly successful second spell that produced three Champions League titles and numerous domestic and international trophies, despite the club ending this season without silverware. Reports suggest Xabi Alonso will replace him. Ancelotti also paid tribute to Luka Modric, who will leave Real Madrid after the Club World Cup following his final Santiago Bernabeu appearance.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot warned that Accrington Stanley will approach their FA Cup third-round tie at Anfield with the intensity of a Champions League final. Liverpool, leading the Premier League and Champions League, have been boosted by the returns of Dominik Szoboszlai and Jarell Quansah. Slot defended Trent Alexander-Arnold after criticism of his recent form, highlighting his improved performance against Tottenham and the support he received from Liverpool fans. He also acknowledged Accrington Stanley’s association with a well-known 1980s milk advertisement.

Novak Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz in straight sets to reach the Shanghai Masters final, where he will face Jannik Sinner. Sinner beat Tomas Machac and secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking, becoming the first Italian to achieve the honor. Djokovic is pursuing his 100th ATP title and a fifth Shanghai crown, while Sinner is seeking his seventh trophy of 2024 after winning the Australian and US Opens.

Australia will host the 2026 Rugby League World Cup after France withdrew as the original host. The October-November tournament will include men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions, with the men’s field reduced to 10 teams and some matches held in Papua New Guinea. International Rugby League chair Troy Grant said the event would showcase the sport’s growth in Australia and the Pacific. Australia is also scheduled to host the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Aryna Sabalenka will miss the Paris 2024 Olympics to prioritize her health after struggling with illness and a back issue in recent months. The Belarusian two-time Grand Slam champion plans to rest and prepare for the hard-court season and the US Open, where she is seeking her first title. She is next scheduled to face Daria Kasatkina at the Berlin Ladies Open.

Carlos Alcaraz enters his French Open quarter-final rematch with Stefanos Tsitsipas full of confidence after winning all five of their previous meetings, including a straight-sets victory in last year's tournament. Alcaraz says he understands which shots trouble Tsitsipas, while Tsitsipas hopes his recent Monte Carlo title and improved form can help him cause an upset. The men's draw also features Jannik Sinner against resurgent Grigor Dimitrov, while the women's matches include Iga Swiatek against Marketa Vondrousova and Coco Gauff against Ons Jabeur.

Cole Palmer credited Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea’s players for reversing the club’s poor start to the season after a fourth consecutive Premier League win, a 2–1 victory at Brighton. Palmer scored his 22nd league goal and said Chelsea’s players want to fight for the manager amid speculation over his future. Chelsea remain in contention for sixth place and European qualification, despite losing the League Cup final to Liverpool and the FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City and dealing with significant injuries.

Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem will retire at the end of the 2024 season after a prolonged struggle to recover from a wrist injury suffered in 2021. The former world number three said both the condition of his wrist and his personal feelings led him to conclude that ending his career was the right decision. Ranked 117th, Thiem had recently earned his first ATP Tour win of the year but was eliminated early at the Australian Open and Estoril Open.

Women’s sport attracted a record 46.7 million television viewers in Britain in 2023, nearly one million more than in 2019. The Women’s World Cup final was the year’s most-watched event, while average viewing time rose 16% and BBC iPlayer streams increased 75% from the previous tournament. Football accounted for most viewing hours, and TikTok helped drive a 268% rise in Women’s Super League video views. Women’s Sport Trust CEO Tammy Parlour urged the industry to build on this momentum and reach younger and female audiences.

US Open champion Wyndham Clark said he considered a move to Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf but rejected it, at least for the 2024 season, because he wants to pursue his legacy, PGA Tour victories, records and a higher world ranking. Clark consulted Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth before deciding to remain on the PGA Tour. His decision comes amid further high-profile LIV recruitment, including Tyrrell Hatton's move to Jon Rahm's team.

The Belgian Pro League match between Anderlecht and Genk will be replayed in full after Belgium’s Disciplinary Council for Professional Football upheld Genk’s appeal over an incorrect VAR ruling. Genk’s goal from Yira Sor was disallowed after Bryan Heynen’s missed penalty because Sor had entered the area early, but Anderlecht players had also encroached. The council found that officials had applied the penalty rules incorrectly. A replay date has not yet been set.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey will be out for a long time after suffering injuries during the team’s 3–2 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest. Their absences add to Brighton’s existing injury problems, with Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, Solly March and Julio Enciso also unavailable. Despite the setbacks, Brighton must prepare to face AEK Athens in the Europa League, where they sit second in Group B behind Marseille.

France’s players’ union UNFP has called for a comprehensive overhaul of the football calendar after a series of serious injuries. Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni, along with Paris Saint-Germain’s Warren Zaire-Emery, were among the affected players. The union warned that an overloaded fixture list could deepen into a crisis that damages both players and the quality of the sport.

Former West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels has been banned from all cricket for six years after an independent tribunal found him guilty of four breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board Anti-Corruption Code relating to the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 league. The ban began on 11 November 2023. The ICC said Samuels had extensive experience of anti-corruption procedures and that the sanction should deter future violations. He had previously received a two-year ban in 2008 for passing team information to a bookmaker.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb defended the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s goal for Newcastle against Arsenal, saying VAR found no conclusive evidence that the ball had gone out, that Joelinton had fouled Gabriel, or that Gordon was offside. Webb said the review process was correct despite Mikel Arteta’s strong criticism. He acknowledged, however, that VAR should have intervened in Newcastle’s later penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers, which he considered a clear and obvious error.

Jenni Hermoso says she hopes the controversy over Luis Rubiales’s alleged non-consensual kiss at the Women’s World Cup will help create lasting social change through the #SeAcabo movement. She describes the period as difficult, including threats and psychological support, but has returned to Spain’s national team and remains focused on football, her club in Mexico and qualifying for the Olympic Games. Rubiales denies the kiss was forced and plans to appeal FIFA’s three-year ban.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper and Brentford manager Thomas Frank criticized refereeing and VAR decisions after their 1-1 draw. Cooper objected to Moussa Niakhate’s red card, while Frank argued that a challenge by Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner on Yoane Wissa should have resulted in a penalty. The complaints followed the major VAR error that disallowed a Liverpool goal against Tottenham, increasing pressure on PGMOL and the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho described Roma’s start to the season as the worst of his managerial career after a 4-1 defeat at Genoa left the club 16th in Serie A with only one win from six matches. He attributed the team’s defensive instability to collective problems when possession is lost and the team drops deeper, rather than solely to injuries. Mourinho urged Roma to move on quickly, with a crucial league match against Frosinone and a Europa League fixture against Servette upcoming.

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp says the club will approach the Europa League seriously and will not field experimental teams or use the competition primarily to develop young players. Liverpool, who missed out on the Champions League for the first time since Klopp’s first full season, are targeting a return to the Europa League final but face several strong opponents. Klopp believes the squad has enough depth to compete at a high level against LASK in Austria and West Ham United in the Premier League, provided the team avoids an injury crisis.

Spain’s women’s football players have called off their strike after unions reached a three-season agreement on minimum wages with the league. Salaries will start at €21,000 for the current season, potentially rising to €23,000, and increase to minimums of €22,500 and €23,500 in the following two seasons, with higher amounts tied to commercial income. The labor dispute was separate from the controversy surrounding former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales, whose conduct toward Jenni Hermoso led to widespread condemnation and a boycott threat from leading players.

Manchester United has agreed an expanded partnership with Qualcomm that will place the company’s Snapdragon brand on the front of the men’s and women’s home, away and third shirts from the 2024/25 season. Financial terms were not disclosed, though a reported deal could be worth about £60 million per year for at least three years. Snapdragon will replace TeamViewer, whose five-year sponsorship agreement was renegotiated after being signed during the COVID-19 pandemic. United has also renewed its Adidas kit-supply deal for another 10 years in a reported £900 million agreement.

Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee announced that 17 female athletes will compete in athletics, cycling and volleyball at the Asian Games in China. Women’s sport has been severely restricted since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, while many prominent athletes have fled the country. The International Olympic Committee has warned that safe access to sport for women and girls is a condition for Afghanistan’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics; three female athletes have also received scholarships aimed at supporting their Olympic ambitions.

Serbian basketball player Borisa Simanic had a kidney removed after suffering complications from an elbow to the midsection during Serbia’s Basketball World Cup game against South Sudan. He underwent two operations and remained hospitalized in Manila. South Sudan player Nuni Omot apologized, while match officials determined that no foul play had occurred.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney says missing England’s 2022 World Cup squad was a greater punishment than the eight-month ban he is serving for 232 breaches of Football Association betting rules. Toney was fined £50,000 and suspended until 16 January 2024, with the sanction reduced from 11 months because of his age and gambling addiction. He can resume training from 17 September and says he is focused on returning in strong form.

Ben Stokes is expected to begin the Indian Premier League as a specialist batter for Chennai Super Kings after receiving a cortisone injection for his troublesome left knee. Bowling will be reintroduced cautiously, with Chennai and the England and Wales Cricket Board coordinating his rehabilitation. Stokes plans to leave the IPL early to prepare for England’s Test against Ireland and the Ashes series against Australia, which begins in June.